This invention relates to handheld tape measures including a housing and a tape measure coiled within the housing, the improvement invention herein being a loosely mounted wheel assembly which permits one-handed operation of the tape measure to extend the coiled tape measure from its housing.
Conventional, commercially available handheld tape measures ordinarily include a housing within which a tape measure is coiled, the coiling including an interior recoil spring assembly for automatic rewinding of the tape measure into the housing by activating a recoil lever. A major drawback in this very useful tool is that it requires both hands of the user to initially extend the tape. One hand grasps the tape housing and the other hand pulls the tape outwardly from an open mouth in the housing. If the user is employing one hand for holding a tool or positioning an object, then he cannot pull out the measuring tape from the housing with his second hand without laying down the tool or releasing the object. Thus, it is necessary for the user to interrupt his work and use both hands to pull out the measuring tape from the housing. These multiple steps of laying down of a tool or object, using both hands to pull out the measuring tape, and then returning to the work with the tool or object are both a waste of time and motion.
All known, commercially available measuring tapes of the type described require the use of both hands in order to extend the measuring tape from the housing. Patented prior art teachings are equally devoid of useful suggestion and providing a measuring tape of the type described which may be used with only one hand. Somewhat relevant prior art disclosures are found in the following U.S. patents: U.S. Pat. No. 2,268,178 issued Dec. 30, 1941 to W. W. Boisture; U.S. Pat. No. 3,364,580 issued Jan. 23, 1968 to R. E. Lucia; U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,168 issued May 22, 1979 to R. Clark DuBois; U.S. Pat. No. 4,200,983 issued May 6, 1980 to Robert West et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,189,107 issued Feb. 19, 1980 to Michael Quenot et al.
In contradistinction to the prior art, the present invention provides a tape measure operable by only one hand whereby the tape measure housing may be held and moved against a stable surface to run out or extend the measuring tape.